Combining Food Preservation and Reclamation

Preserving Our Wisdom | Jennifer Dorby

This month there was an incredible partnership that formed between CGC, a Cowichan Secondary School class, and the Cobble Hill Homesteading Fair. Through CGC’s program Preserving Our Wisdom, funded by the Government of Canada New Horizon for Seniors Program, the student’s partook in a community meal preparation class facilitated by a local elder. The students worked diligently to prepare borscht and minestrone soup, chocolate zucchini loaves, and apple slab pies for the Fair. Much of the “inglorious food” for these recipes was sourced from CGC’s FruitSave Program, KinPark Youth Urban Farm, and the Russell Farms Market. The Cowichan Region has alarming rates of food insecurity and by reclaiming food that might otherwise to go waste and repurposing it into something new, the creation of these products proved this word of choice to be incorrect. The food became quite “glorious” and was enjoyed by 167 people!

As part of this same project, CGC is also hosting 20 FREE food preservation workshops and 8 FREE community meal workshops over the next six months. This project aims to teach or feature a variety of preservation techniques in a workshop format from pickling, dehydration, and freezing, to water-bath and pressure-canning. All workshops and community meal preparations include elder mentors who are present to share their wisdom and their skills with younger generations. This program works to connect elders to community and lower our communities food waste by teaching people that it truly is the inside not exterior that matters.

Are you interested in learning about repurposing food, connecting with like-minded people or giving back to the community? If you answered yes to any of the above this program could be for you! Space is limited so please visit http://cowichangreencommunity.org/project/preserving-our-wisdom for the fall schedule and program details. If you are interested in becoming involved as a senior facilitator, to sign up for one of our classes, or to learn more about the program contact Jennifer at 250.748.8506 or by email jennifer@cowichangreencommunity.org